Basic Information

Name

ZTD-05 (VN-16) Chinese Amphibious Light Tank

Designation

ZTD-05, ZBD 2000, ZLT-05, VN-16

Alternate Designation

ZTD-05, ZBD 2000, ZLT-05, VN-16

Equipment Type

Amphibious Light Tank

Manufacturer

NORINCO

Date of Introduction

2006

Description

The ZTD-05 (VN-16) Chinese Amphibious Light Tank is a fire-support vehicle based on the Type 05 hull. It is designed to have the same mobility and protection as the ZBD-05, but it is armed with a large-calibre direct-fire gun. It is designed to provide overwhelming fire support for ZBD-05 formations against embedded infantry and heavily armoured vehicles. The ZTD-05 has the same basic hull shape as the ZBD-05. The driver is seated at the front-left of the hull and the engine is to his right. However, the rest of the vehicle is taken up by the turret and attendant ammunition storage. The turret is much larger than the ZBD-05's and has a sloped front and sides. It carries a 105 mm main gun, which is fitted with a bore evacuator that is located in the first third of the barrel, and a pepper pot muzzle brake. There is an MG mounted on the roof of the turret that requires an operator to expose his upper body for use, and there is a co-axial MG on the right of the main gun. The turret accommodates the commander, gunner, and loader. The commander and gunner are seated in tandem on the left of the turret, with the gun in the middle and the loader on the right. The commander's position is elevated in relation to the gunner and loader so that he can survey the surrounding battlefield. The commander and loader are provided with single-piece hatches that open forwards and to the rear respectively. The rear compartment is used to store ammunition, which is stored horizontally and lengthways along the sides of the hull in two racks. The rear door is retained and can be used for access or replenishing the magazine. There are also storage racks attached to the ceiling that are used to carry personal equipment or additional buoyancy aids.

Ground Specifications

Crew 4

Mobility Type Tracked

Main Weapon 105 mm main gun

Engine Four-stroke turbocharged water-cooled diesel

Active Protection Yes

NBC Protection Yes

Max Speed 65.0 km/h

Range 500.0 km

Variants

PLZ-07B The PLZ-07B is an SPH designed for the Chinese Marine Corps. It is based on the Type 05 hull and uses the weapon system from the PLZ-07, which is based on a different hull. The vehicle is designed to have the same mobility and protection as the ZBD-05, however, it is equipped with a large-calibre howitzer and attendant FCS so that it can provide organic indirect fire support for ZBD-05 formations.

Type 001 The Type 001 is an APC based on the Type 05 hull. It is believed that the Type 001 is more likely to be found in service with the amphibious elements of the PLA rather than the Marine Corps, as it has been shown on exercises with the 74th Army Group. It is designed to perform as an APC and is capable of carrying a section of equipped infantry into combat alongside other Type 005 variants.

System

Alternative Designation ZTD-05, ZBD 2000, ZLT-05, VN-16

Estimated out of Service Date 2055

Manufacturer Norinco

Type Amphibious Light Tank

Crew 4 ea

Manufacturer Norinco

Dimensions

Length 9.5 m

Width 3.36 m

Height 3.04 m

Weight, Combat 28.5 tons

Ground Pressure INA

Automotive

Engine Name INA

Engine Type Four-stroke turbocharged water-cooled diesel

Engine Power (Land) 500 hp

Engine Power (Sea) 1,577 hp

Transmission Machanical

Cruising Range (Land) 500 km

Cruising Range (Sea) INA, estimates have it going as far as 2/3 of it's land range.

Speed, Maximum Road 65 km/h

Speed, Average Cross 40 km/h

Speed, Maximum Swim INA

Maximum Distance at Sea 90 km

Tracks Tracks are supported by two return rollers located between the first and last pairs of road wheels.

Suspension Hydropneumatic

Wheels 6, unevenly-spaced road wheels per side

Gradient 60 %

Side Slope 30 %

Vertical Obstacle 0.6 m

Trench 2.9 m

Fording Depth Amphibious

Sea State Capable Sea State 4

Buoyancy Reserve Yes

Communications

TBR-121

VHF Transceiver Yes

VHF Range 1 to 50 km

Digital Data Yes, Full

Control Self-Adaptive Control (Including Automatic Antenna Tuner)

Frequency Agile Yes

Wireless Network Capabilities Yes

Note: Very similar in capabilities to the US SINCGARS ASIP

Main Gun

System

Note The primary armament of the ZTD-05 is the 105 mm low-recoil rifled gun, which is stabilised and capable of firing on the move. It is thought that the gun was modified to reduce its recoil, and prevent the system from damaging the hull or affecting the balance of the platform when firing on the move. The ZTD-05 is claimed to be capable of conducting a combat mission while afloat, and can remain effective against stationary targets in Sea State 4. Against mobile targets it remains effective in Sea State 3. A muzzle brake is used to further reduce the recoil force on the hull and a bore evacuator dispels excess gases from the barrel after firing. The gun can be elevated from -4.5° to +18° and traversed through 360°. The gun fires at a rate of 6 to 8 rds/min, and loading is manual with the assistance of a hydraulic ram. The ammunition used is single piece and the total quantity of shells carried is thought to exceed 30. Available ammunition natures include an APFSDS round designated as BTA2, which is capable of penetrating 220 mm of RHA set at 66.4° from a range of 2,000 m. For targets protected by ERA, the DTP1A round armed with a HEAT warhead is used, which is capable of penetrating 180 mm of RHA set at 60° and protected by ERA. To assault fortified positions, the ZTD-05 can employ the BTM1 round, which is capable of penetrating 1 m of reinforced concrete at a range of 1,500 m and provides a 6 m lethal radius. Norinco has also developed a multipurpose round, which can be used for anti-materiel and anti-personnel purposes. The round has a maximum effective range of 3,000 m and a lethal radius of 10 m against personnel. For anti-materiel purposes, the maximum range is 12 km, the lethal radius is 20 m, and the round can penetrate 35 mm of RHA at a range of 300 m. It is also likely that the gun can fire the GP2 gun-launched missile, which is stated to be capable of penetrating 650 mm of armour protected by ERA at a maximum range of 5,000 m. For close-range support, the ZTD-05 is armed with a 7.62 mm MG thought to match the characteristics of the same weapon detailed under the ZBD-05. There is also a roof-mounted 12.7 mm MG, which is described as an air defence weapon by Norinco. Operating the weapon requires the loader to expose his head and upper body to enemy fire, and it is belt-fed by boxes of 250 rounds. The maximum engagement range is 1,800 m, but the effective range is closer to 1,200 m. The weapon is not stabilised so its accuracy will be greatly reduced if used on the move.

Auxiliary Weapon System #1

System

Name QJZ-89

Type Heavy Machine Gun

Caliber 12.7 mm

Length, Total 2,119 mm

Length, Barrel 1,003 mm

Weight (Gun Only) 17.5 kg

Weight, (Tripod Only) 8.5 kg

Max Rate of Fire 600 rds/min

Sustain Rate of Fire 400-600 rds/min

Action Gas/Recoil

Feed System Belt

Sights Iron/Optical

Ammunition

Type Rifle

Caliber 12.7 mm

Cartridge 12.7x108 mm

Max Effective Range 1,600 m

Basic Load 1,200 ea

Auxiliary Weapon System #2

System

Name 1 x 7.62mm General-Purpose Machine Gun

Fire Control

Battle Management System Yes, fitted with the PLA’s version of a generic vehicle architecture (GVA) Battle Management System (BMS). The BMS provides the commander with a 3D map; this can be used to designate assault routes and targets, which are then distributed via data burst to other vehicles.

Computerized FCS Yes, includes an FCS that accounts for the speed of the vehicle and distance to the target to provide ballistic solutions for the main gun.

Thermal (Vehicle Commander) Yes

Thermal (Gunner) Yes

Main Gun Stabilization Yes

3D Map Display Yes, Standard

Satellite Navigation System Yes, BeiDou Satellite, which also integrates with the vehicle’s digital radios to provide blue force tracking.

Laser Range Finder Yes

Protection

Hull Armor Type The hull of the ZTD-05 is built from welded aluminum to which a modular spaced armor is added, assessed to be composite appliqué armor. At the front of the hull, the bow blade is placed along the glacis and belly plate to provide additional protection from ballistic threats. It is also possible that the front of the hull is used to house a self-sealing fuel tank, which is a method also used on the BMP-3.

Hull Armor 30 mm

Sides and Rear Armor 14.5 mm

Turret Armor INA

Applique Armor Yes

Explosive Reactive Armor INA

Active Protection System Yes

Mine Clearing INA

Self-Entrenching Blade INA

NBC Protection Yes

Smoke Equipment Yes, 8 Total, 4 on each side 76mm

Bow Blade Yes

Belly Plate Yes

Self-Sealing Fuel Tank Yes, capable of stopping a 25 mm APFSDS round at 2,000 m.

Automatic Fire Suppression Device. Yes

Image Sources

Notes https://quizlet.com/600480468/roc-v-flash-cards/; https://www.army-guide.com/eng/product4081.html; https://www.moddb.com/groups/tanks/images/zbd-2000-amphibious-light-tank;